The Delivering Decarbonisation conference takes place on 21 November at America Square Conference Centre in London and is designed to give delegates the knowledge and information required to plan their business strategy.

There will be a series of panel discussions and keynote speeches and Logistics UK said the line-up included Lord Callanan, minister for energy, efficiency and green finance; Dr Russell Fowler, senior manager at National Grid; Malcolm Wilkinson, head of energy at National Highways and Alan McKinnon, professor of logistics.

Topics include how to approach decarbonisation of HGV operations in the UK, how the government is supporting businesses, views from the OEMs, creating an EV adoption strategy and the infrastructure required for HGV decarbonisation.

Michelle Gardner, deputy director of policy at Logistics UK said: “The logistics industry is undergoing profound changes and is becoming increasingly complex as we strive for decarbonisation.

“In recognition of the significance of this transformation, we are delighted to host Delivering Decarbonisation, an essential conference – that proved to be extremely popular last year – for senior logistics leaders and decarbonisation experts.”

The event is £199 + VAT for Logistics UK members and £239 + VAT for non-members.
More information on the event can be found at: www.logistics.org.uk/deliveringdecarbonisation

The post Logistics UK reveals more details of Delievering Decarbonisation conference appeared first on Motor Transport.

Transport & Environment (T&E) said that despite the government announcing £200m of funding for truck decarbonisation projects, it paled into insignificance compared to EU progress.

It said the UK had plenty of ambition but was lacking in action, citing an EU-wide law that ensured by 2025 there would be charging stations for HGVs every 60km along the core network in Europe and every 100km on larger, more comprehensive roads.

Complete network coverage is expected by 2030.

T&E added that the EU was also introducing standards that enabled truck makers to ramp up production of zero-emission trucks.

It compared HGV CO2 emissions from UK HGVs in 1990 and in 2021 and said there had been barely any decrease.

“The UK is in real danger of losing any competitive edge it has on truck decarbonisation”, said Richard Hebditch, T&E UK director.

Read more

• Government launches £200m trial of 370 zero emission trucks
• New £200m government pledge to decarbonise HGVs “won’t make any difference”, claims EV manufacturer
• Overhead charging cables the cheapest and most effective way to decarbonise long-haul HGVs, new study finds

“It’s vital that the UK stays in the race as there is a flourishing industry behind e-HGV production, charging and battery supply that the UK could tap into.

“The government seems to be tiptoeing around major issues when it comes to transport decarbonisation and HGVs are a major opportunity, it would be silly and short-sighted to continue to pay them such little attention.”

The thinktank’s comments came as research by BP found that despite the majority of fleet managers believing decarbonisation was a positive move for their business, there remained significant concerns about the availability of alternative fuels and charging infrastructure.

BP said over half (53%) of HGV fleet managers said they had already begun their journeys to net zero but the same proportion questioned whether there would be enough renewable diesel to cater for demand.

A further 42% said they had concerns around recharging electric trucks during long-haul journeys.

Adrian Brabazon, head of UK fleet solutions at BP, says: “It’s encouraging to see that many HGV fleet managers are feeling positive about decarbonisation.

“At BP with our integrated approach and strong presence in traditional fuels, EV charging, and bioenergy, we are planning to develop a network of dedicated hubs for HGVs that will offer a selection of fuelling options, as well as better facilities for drivers.”

The post EU leaving UK behind in race to decarbonise haulage appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DAF XB eHGV will be in operation before Christmas; it has a range of up to 350km and can go from a 20% to 80% charge in under 70 minutes.

Evri has also added 12 more bio-CNG Iveco S-Way tractor units to its fleet, bringing the total to 202 natural gas trucks and an additional 20 are being brought in on a temporary basis to support the company’s increased volumes in the run-up to Christmas.

It said it had also taken delivery of 43 long-body rigids, which increased capacity by 25% from 16 to 20 pallets.

Read more

• Evri trials two Volvo electric trucks for final and middle mile deliveries
• Evri partners with Zoomo to expand electric bike delivery service
• ‘Next you’ll be forced into buying new trucks that you might not want…’

David Landy, Evri head of fleet, said: “We’re excited to get our hands on our first permanent electric HGV.

“I’m really proud of the investment our business continues to make in more sustainable vehicles, and I can’t wait to see what this vehicle can do in a highly demanding environment.

“We’ll be closely monitoring its performance so we can explore which other routes might be suitable for this kind of vehicle.

“Many of our routes require an extensive range to maintain efficiency of the parcel journey, so it’s the toughest area to decarbonise.”

For more stories tracking the industry journey to decarbonisation see our new Freight Carbon Zero website.

The post Evri invests in sustainable vehicles for peak season appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Fradley, Staffs haulier said it was thrilled to be running two electric trucks, which replace diesel variants and show its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

“Volvo has been a consistent brand in our fleet ever since the business was founded and they were always going to be our first choice when specifying our first-ever electric tractor units,” said Paul Hawkins, operations director.

The FM Electrics both feature three electrical motors, generating an output of 666hp and 2,400 Nm of continuous torque, paired with a standard I-Shift gearbox to deliver a smooth and ultra-quiet in-cab driving experience.

Read more

• CRJ drivers ‘delighted’ with new Volvos
• South Coast Logistics chooses Volvo for fleet expansion
• McGuinness toasts new Volvo order amid drive to slash emissions

Equipped with the maximum six batteries, the electric FMs offer a range of approximately 300km and can be recharged in two-and-a-half hours.

“We’ve already heard from many of our regular customers who are eager to welcome our new electric tractor units to their sites,” Hawkins added.

“We cannot wait to hit the road.”

The vehicles were supplied by Hartshorne Group.

The post ‘Volvo electric trucks were always our first choice,’ says Hawkins appeared first on Motor Transport.

Launched following the government’s announcement this week that it would invest £200m in a refuelling and electric charging programme for trucks across the country, Hitachi said it would be providing data and insights over five years.

The company said this will involve analysing routes, vehicle and charging session data, range and charging infrastructure monitoring, as well as total cost of ownership modelling, to support investment business cases for eHGV deployments.

Hitachi ZeroCarbon was chosen as the principal partner of the ‘Electric Freightway’ project announced by the department for transport.d

Read more

• Government launches £200m trial of 370 zero emission trucks
• Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions ‘leading the charge’ on EV adoption
• ‘World’s biggest commercial EV trial’ finds fleets can overcome cost and charging challenges

The hope is that the demonstration programme will give lorry fleet operators confidence that they can invest in electric versions of their diesel counterparts.

Ram Ramachander, chief executive of Hitachi ZeroCarbon said, “Hitachi is committed to being a climate change innovator and this means bringing our next-generation technologies and strong sector expertise to the Electric Freightway project.

“Freight transport is a large contributor to global CO2 emissions, so decarbonising the sector is vital to meet net zero targets.”

The RHA has welcomed the investment and providing clarity and certainty for operators: “Delivery against the HGV phase out dates set by ministers will require close collaboration amongst the many stakeholders involved and tough decisions may be necessary such as pragmatic exemptions to these dates and tax breaks to lower costs,” added RHA MD Richard Smith.

Logistics UK said it was encouraging to see the government finally making long-awaited progress on its promises to decarbonise the sector: “However ultimately, we need this progress to be faster and support actioned promptly if we are to meet impending decarbonisation deadlines,” said Kate Jennings Logistics UK policy director.

For more stories tracking the industry journey to decarbonisation see our new Freight Carbon Zero website.

The post Hitachi to play key role in government’s new HGV charging project appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Sittingbourne-based transport company launched its first LNG-fuelled HGV back in 2019 and since then it has saved thousands of tonnes of carbon.

Local MP Gordon Henderson also paid the firm a visit and it revealed to the roadshow that the second half of 2022 had led to a 191% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Nicholls Transport added that in the year to May 2023, it had also saved 3,180 tonnes of CO2.

Read more

• Knauf and Nicholls unveil new livery celebrating their journey to net zero
• Nicholls Transport’s LNG-powered Iveco Stralis fleet delivers record GHG savings
• Nicholls Transport opens gas refuelling station to support investment in IVECO LNG trucks

Rob Gearing, head of commercial and business development at the haulier said that when it started using LNG it hoped to achieve a 90% saving and so its latest results had “far exceeded our expectations.”

He said: “Nicholls were also able to show that after becoming an ATF for the DVSA, from January to August we had saved 9,500kg of CO2 being produced by not taking our vehicles off site for MOTs.”

The firm also showed attendees how the bees around its site are generating honey and candles for ‘Nicholls Nectar’, run by Samantha Nicholls.

The post Nicholls Transport foregrounds carbon-saving qualities during National Lorry Week appeared first on Motor Transport.

Research conducted for the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) found 58% of fleets are up for sharing their charging apparatus to make electrification more practical.

It also found 62% would consider co-operative agreements with other fleets to allow mutual access to depot infrastructure and 58% their public facilities, with demand for arrangements of this type considered most appropriate for companies in Scotland, the West Midlands and the South West.

The AFP said charging infrastructure was seen as a barrier to electrification for 65% of fleets when it came to depots and 49% in a home scenario, with cost impediments listed in order as installation, connection, hardware and energy.

Paul Hollick, AFP chair, said: “The subject of shared charging is being discussed more and more across our organisation and is increasingly seen as a way forward for solving the issue of limited infrastructure.

“Potentially, providing mutual access to charging could mean van fleets will be able to access power in areas where there is limited public charging in place or where energy prices are high for the chargers that are available.

“There are, of course, problems to solve, such as the mechanism for payment and a process of booking access to individual chargers, but these appear to be far from insoluble and could provide a valuable part of the charging options available to van fleet operators in the future. The research shows that there is a genuine interest in the subject.”

The post Most electric van operators would share charging infrastructure, AFP research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

The new regulations are the result of a recent government consultation which looked at how to accelerate the adoption of zero emission vans. It discovered that the towing restrictions on Cat B licence holders who drive electric vans is acting as an obstacle to the take up of zero emission vans.

The consultation also recommended ending the requirement for drivers of zero emission vans between 3.5 tonnes and 4.25 tonnes to undertake five weeks of training, although it noted that DVSA recommends car and van drivers complete accredited trailer training before they tow for the first time and a refresher courses for drivers who tow regularly.

Red Corporate warned this week that these new rules could undermine road safety since they allow drivers to operate a vehicle combination of up to seven tonnes, and several metres in length, without mandated training.

It argues that several questions remain unanswered, including whether these vehicles need a tachograph and 60mph speed limiter, what the rules are on driver hours and whether drivers need a CPC if they are travelling more than 100km from their depot.

The company is urging operators to take the safer option and choose to train their drivers to Cat 1 level.

Seb Goldin (pictured), RED Corporate Driver Training chief executive, said: “This is yet another example of government taking away established safety protocols to suit a particular agenda, in this case driving demand for EVs.

“Safety should not be something that can be dropped when it doesn’t suit – the thought of a newly qualified car driver being handed the keys to a big electric van with a large trailer on the back is frightening.

Read more

• Cat B drivers to be banned from driving 4.25-tonne alternatively-fuelled vans that are not zero emission at the tailpipe
• DfT progresses plan to allow Cat B licence holders to drive heavier alternatively-fuelled vans

“It’s not just about being eligible – the question should be are they experienced and knowledgeable enough to drive it.”

Goldin believes that businesses should assess which vehicles their employees will be driving over the next few years and take action to ensure the risk to their fleet and other road users is managed as electric commercial vehicles go beyond 4.25 tonnes.

He added: “These EV panel vans are heavy already and it won’t be long before electric vans weigh more than 4.25 tonnes because they will need extra battery packs to make them commercially viable to businesses.

“The best solution is for businesses to assess their drivers and put those eligible forward for the more encompassing C1 training, which allows employees to drive vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes GVW.

Goldin added: “Putting drivers through C1 training opens up a host of new options for businesses and also future-proofs its operations and commercial vehicle procurement range for that extra investment.

“It will give them a fleet of drivers qualified to safely and economically drive a fleet of vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes.

“This will allow businesses to be more flexible in their operations, countering driver absences and being prepared to adapt working practices if a new contract demands it.

“Businesses are looking at a period of huge change in the years ahead as we transition to more EVs on fleet, so it makes sense to get ahead of the game and future-proof as much of your operation as you can.”

The post New rules on driving zero emission vans with trailers risk road safety, driver training firm warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

“Irrespective of whether it’s difficult for you, it’s happening,” he told RHA Forum delegates. “You are now your customers’ problem. Every major company has now subscribed to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). That’s 982 companies in the UK including all the major supermarkets and most of them are your customers.

“Some are saying to their shareholders that by 2025, not 35, they are going to achieve net zero. They’re not waiting for the prime minister. They see zero emissions as a competitive advantage to getting more business.”

Read more

• Welch’s Transport launches net zero delivery with first Renault electric truck
• Howdens adds two Renault E-Techs to fleet
• Renault Trucks MD calls on UK to “walk the talk” on electric vehicles

Rodrigues also cautioned operators against buying diesel trucks in the next buying round, claiming their businesses would be “worthless in 10 years’ time”.

He urged hauliers that have not started their net zero journey to make plans with their truck supplier and customers and come up with a workable plan.

“When you see how much an electric vehicle is to buy you might think your customers aren’t going to pay for that,” he said. “But for your customer, transport is just a line in their profit and loss account. So the impact of that isn’t the same for them as it is for you.”

Rodrigues also advised operators that the transition could be achieved in stages: “Understand what can be done and don’t do it all in one go,” he said. “Start with maybe a couple of trucks. We sit with operators, we make it work. So you’re then in a position of strength and bring a solution to your customer.”

The post ‘Plan EV switch before customers force you,’ urges Renault Trucks boss appeared first on Motor Transport.

Speaking at the RHA Forum for the Future at the Vox in Birmingham, she said the transition remained “a massive challenge for smaller businesses” but that their calls for industry support had been ignored.

“I take our responsibility seriously but I don’t think the larger companies or the manufacturers understand the challenges for the SMEs,” she said. “When you get to the SME level there is no collaboration. We’re forgotten because we’re small fry. Larger organisations collaborate better.

“Manufacturers tell us we need to take it to the customer, and pre-Covid we probably could. But customers are now only looking at price. They don’t care how I get a tipper or a skip to them as long as it comes. They’re not interested in what’s fuelling it.”

The London-based collection and recycling firm has underlined its commitment to reducing emissions by moving its fleet to HVO but O’Donovan admitted a week-long trial of two electric trucks had exposed major problems

Read more

• O’Donovan Waste Disposal opts for LoCity Driving course to reduce emissions
• O’Donovan Waste Disposal urges Sadiq Khan not to accelerate ULEZ plans
• O’Donovan gets truly Econic with skip-loader fleet

“The first one kept running out of power and the second one couldn’t do a day’s work in London,” she said. “And electric vehicles are double the price of diesel.”

She added that another major concern was how to charge the firm’s fleet of 100 HGVs. “They’re not all going to park in the same spot every night so how are they going to reach chargers? It’s not going to work,” she said. “Then we’re going to have a massive surge and where we’re located won’t be able to cope with that. I wanted to put two 22Kw chargers for the car and van fleet but the power coming in wasn’t big enough and we don’t have the money to pay for more.”

The company is pinning its long-term hopes on hydrogen, O’Donovan said. However, storage remains a problem under current regulations. “If we could have hydrogen in a tank in our yard we’d be home and dry but we can’t,” she said. “And how many hydrogen stations are going to be in London?

“I think more business people should be in the government,” she concluded. “They could get industry leaders around the table for nothing to produce a standard or regulation that’s fit for purpose. The government are in an ivory tower and not business minded.”

For more stories tracking the industry journey to decarbonisation see our new Freight Carbon Zero website.

The post SMEs ignored on net zero, says O’Donovan appeared first on Motor Transport.